Aerial navigation.



J. MEANS. AERIAL NAVIGATION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2, 1908.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

JAMES MEANS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AERIAL NAVIGATION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. '11, 1911.

Application filed March 2, 1908. Serial No. 418,679.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES MEANS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Sufi'olk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Aerial Navigation, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to-aerial navigation, and more especially to controlling-apparatus for flying-machines.

The object of my invention is to provide certain improvements in devices for operating a flyingmachine, to be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The drawings which accompany and form a part-of this specification illustrate one embodiment of my invention; and it will be understood that the particular embodiment of my invention selected for more fully disclosing the principle thereof may be subjected to a wide range of variation by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my improved controlling-apparatus. Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. '1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4 4 of Fi 1.

F11 the figures, A is a rod or tube secured in any suitable manner to the frame of a flying machine and placed parallel to the direction of flight indicated by the arrow. Pivoted to the fork C, integral with the tube B, which surrounds the rod A, is a pendulum H having a vertically adjustable bob D of any suitable construction, such as a weight, as shown, or a seat or other means adapted to carry the operator of a flying machine.

The rod E, which is slidable in the guide E, secured to any suitable part of the machine, such as the rod A, is operatively connected with the pendulum H and longitudinal'rudder K. In that particular form of my invention shown in the drawings, the rod E is provided with racks I and F, which cooperate respectively with the gear J, rigidly secured to the rudder K, and the gear G, rigidly secured to the fork H of the pendulum H and ivoted in the fork C. As shown, the rod may be divided into two parts connected by the loose coupling L.

The lateral rudders Q Q, are arranged to be actuated by the rotary movement of the tube B and in the present instance I have shown said rudders secured to the ends of therods :BP, which are rigidly connected respectively with the beveled-gears -'N N intermeshing with the beveled .gear M, which is rigidly connected with the tube B. At their inner ends the rods 'P P -maxy, as shown, =be journaled in the bearings'G) 'O.

U is a vertical rudder for directing the movements of the machine to port-and =starboard. The rudder U ma be actuated by the lever R which prefera l :as shown, is mounted on the. pendulum H and nray be connected with the rudder U through the rod S, a portion of which as shown-at S 'is flexible, and the beveled gears T T, or 'in any other suitable manner.

If the fiying'machine is motorpro elled, the motor may .be con'trolled1by the t u-mbswitch Y-which may bemounted onthe lever R and arranged to close the circuit of-the battery Z through thespark coil Z of the niotor or through other suitable electro-responsive device."

Cooperating with the pendulum H and placed with its center directly underneath the pointer W thereof, I may-employ the spherical level V so arranged that its bubble W normally assumes a position directly under said pointer. A'mariners compass X may be mounted in said level.

The operation is as follows: Assuming the wholly automatic operation of the controlling means by the pendulum, itwill be apparent that the downward movement of the forward part of the machine will cause the pendulum to swing forward thereby producing a clockwise rotation of therudder K upon its axis and thereby steering'the machine into a horizontal course. In like manner, adownward movement of'the backward end of the machine will produce a counter clockwise rotation of the rudder K upon its axis so that said rudder will receive the greatest air pressure on its under side, thereby steering the machine into a horizontal course. 'If the lateral stability of the machine is disturbed, the pendulum H will swing transversely to the direction of flight of the machine and the tube B will 'make a partial revolution about the rod A, thereby turning the rudders Q, Q in opposite directions and correcting such disturbance in lateral stability. For example, as-

suming that the starboard side of t e machine is depressed, 'it willbeevidentthat *t-he pendulum'will move to the right;(with respect to the operator facing the direction of flight) and that the gear M will be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, so that through the intermediary of the gears N and N respectively, the lateral rudders -Q and Q will be rotated about their axes in opposite directions and the rudder Q on the starboard side of the machine will receive the greatest pressure of air on its under side, while the rudder Q on the port side will receive the greatest pressure of air upon its upper side, thereby restoring the machine to its original position of lateral horizontality. In like manner, if the port side of the machine be depressed, the rotation of the lateral rudders Q and Q respectively will 'beopposite to that which takesplace when the machine tips to starboard, so that the port rudder will receive the greatest pressure of air upon its upper side, thereby starboard rudder will receive the greatest pressure of air upon its upper side, thereby restoring the machine to its original position. If the lateral and horizontal stability of the machine are simultaneously disturbed, theipendulum will take'a position which will cause all three rudders K, Q and Q to perform their functions simultaneously, thereby restoring the machine to horizontal position.

As above stated, the bob D may be so constructed as to form a seat or reclining couch for the operator, in which case the latter, by rest-raining, augmenting, or correcting the natural movement of the pendulum by grasping some adjacent stationary portion of the machine, may control or correct disturbances in the stability thereof. 7

The pendulum bob may be omitted, in which case the operator will use the rod H Y 40 as a lever, preferably controlling the movements thereof by grasping the handle R, to control the positions of the three rudders, he being guided by the movements of the hub ble W and still having one hand free to devote to his motor. It will be evident that while the machine is in a horizontal position, the bubble W of the spherical level will be immediately under the center of the spherical surface of its containin case, and

t at the pointer W of the en ulum will be directly above the center 0 said spherical surface. When the position of the machine is shifted from the horizontal, the bubble and the pointer will both move away from the center of the spherical surface in opposite directions.

My controlling apparatus may be used partially automatically to control the stability of a flying-machine, in which case the pendulum bob may be constructed to have just sufficient weight to make the necessary motion, and theo erator, profiting by the indication made by t e pendulum, Wlll check any tendency" to erratic movement. When used in this manner, or when the bob is removed the machine instead of at the "rear end as though I prefer to place the lateral rudders and the rod H employed as a lever, the operator is enabled to correct disturbances in the lateral or longitudinal stability of the machine, or both, and at the same time actuate the vertical rudder U for right and left 7 steering by suitably moving the handle R to the right and left with respect to the rod H and by suitably moving said rod by means of said handle which is mounted therein; and control the ignition of his motor to start or stop the same by the thumb-- switch Y.

It will be noted that the longitudinal rudder or rudders K, the lateral rudders Q Q and the vertical rudder U are mutually independently operable and that the longitudinal and lateral rudders notwithstanding suclrindependence of operation are capable of simultaneous actuation for the purpose of correcting simultaneously-occurring disturbances in the longitudinal and lateral stability of the flying machine. It is important and advantageous to so construct, position, and arrange the longitudinal and lateral rudders that the former shall perform solely the function of correcting dis-v turbances in the longitudinal stability of the machine, and the latter shall perform solely the function of correcting, disturbances in the lateral stability of the machine, 95 because, when they are so constructed, posi t-ioned, and arranged, it will be possible to simultaneously actuate said longitudinal and lateral rudders for simultaneouslyperforming both functions. In the operation of a flying machine there is not necessarily any interdependence between the actuation of the vertical rudder U, on the one hand, and the longitudinal and lateral rudders K Q and Q, on the other hand.

By the term longitudinal as applied to a rudder, I desire to be understood as meaning a rudder so positioned and arranged that'the operation thereof will correct disturbances only in the longitudinal stability of the flying machine. By the term lateral as applied to rudders, such as the rudders Q Q, I desire to be understood as meaning rudders so positioned and arranged I that the operation thereof Will correct disturbances only in the lateral stability of the machine.

Although I have shown in the accompanying drawings only one longitudinal rudder K, it will be understood of course that two may be employed, one at each end of the machine, and, further, that if one only be employed, it may be located at the front end of shown. The longitudinal and lateral rudders may be of any suitable size and construction and may be positioned with respect to the frame of the machine as desired, al-

Q and Q relatively to the machine in locaor manuall stability, that is to say, the longitudinal rudders are movable indetions approximately represented by the lo cations of the tips of the wings'of asearing bird relatively to the bird.

It has been proposed to maintain the longitudinal and lateral stability of a flying machi'ne by'sets of pivoted or rotatable rudders operated automatically by a pendulum pendently of the lateral rudders, the lateral rudders cannotbe moved without moving I the longitudinal rudders and vice versa. It

- and said rudders.

has also been proposed to correct disturbances in thelateral stability of a flying machine by twisting or deforming the surfaces of non-'articulatedvwings and to correct for longitudinal stability by means of a pivoted rudder, these devices being'o'perated by the same hand-lever, and there being mutual independence of operation. between said wings In my improved app aratus the longitudinal and lateral rudders are pivoted or articulated to .the machine and by my invention the said pivoted longitudinal independently of the lateral rudders and vice versa or both sets of rudders can be actuated simultaneously. This can be done either manually or automatically.

I claim:

1. In a flying machine, the combination with independently operable lateral and longitudinal rudders, of a vertical rudder, a

single manually operated means for simul-' taneously actuating said lateral and lon 'tudinal rudders to correct disturbances o "the lateral and of the longitudinal stability of said machine, and a controlling device for by means of a lever or levers.

rudder or rudders may be actuated fisaid vertical rudder mounted on said manually operated means.

2. In a H 'ng machine, the combination with mutua lmde endently operable latera] and longitudin pivoted rudders, of a pendulum for simultaneously actuating said rudders to correct disturbances of the lateral and of the longitudinal stability of said ma- I chine, a vertical rudder and manuallyoperated means for actuating the same;

3. Ina flying machine, the combination with lateral' and longitudinal rudders, of a vertical rudder, a pendulum for simultanek- 1 ously actuating said lateral and longitudinal.

rudders to correct disturbances of the lateral and longitudinal stability of said machine,

and operating means for said vertical rudder mounted on said pendulum.

4. In a flying machine, the combination with independently ofperable lateral and longitudinal rudders, o crating the same simultaneously, a verticala single lever for op-" rudder and a controlling device for said vertical rudder mounted on said lever.

'5. In a flying machine, the combinationwith independently operable lateral and longitudinal rudders, of a pendulum for o rating the same simultaneousl a vertica rud der and a controlling device therefor mounted on said pendulum.

6. .In a flying machine, the combination with independently operable lateral and lon gitudinal rudders, of a single lever for operating the same simultaneously, a vertical rudder and a handle mounted on said lever and operatively connected with said vertical rudder.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th day of February, 1908.

JAMES "MEANS.

Witnesses Gno. 'K. Woonwon'm, E. B. TOMLINSON. 

